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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA-200CITY OF NATIONAL CITY, CALIFORNIA COUNCIL AGENDA STATEMENT MEETING DATE: April 16, 2013 AGENDA ITEM NO. ITEM TITLE: Request by the Boys & Girls Club of Greater San Diego to Re -Name the National City Branch in Recognition of a Prospective Donor Willing to Contribute $1 Million to the National City Branch PREPARED BY: Leslie Deese, City Manager DEPARTMENT: i anager/ ity Attorney PHONE: 336-4240 / 336-4220 APPROV EXPLANATION: See attached Staff Report FINANCIAL STATEMENT: ACCOUNT NO. N/A ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: N/A ORDINANCE: INTRODUCTION: FINAL ADOPTION: APPROVED: APPROVED: Finance MIS STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Seek Council direction on whether to allow a name change to the building, and if so, whether such name change can be reflected on the signage of the building. Any such change will require appropriate legal documents to be prepared and returned for approval by the Council. BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: N/A ATTACHMENTS: Staff Report Letter from Boys & Girls Club of Greater San Diego Request by the Boys & Girls Club of Greater San Diego to Re -Name the National City Branch in Recognition of a Prospective Donor Willing to Contribute $1 Million to the National City Branch The Boys & Girls Club of Greater San Diego has identified a prospective donor willing to contribute $1,000,000 to the National City Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs. In recognition of this contribution, on behalf of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego, Mr. Danny Sherlock, President & CEO is requesting the National City Branch be re -named in honor of this donor. Background Over the years, the City Council has initiated and received requests to name new and existing City facilities in honor of individuals who have made significant contributions to the community. Although National City has no formal policy for naming public facilities and sites in honor of persons, there are precedents. • Kimball Park is named for a City founder; • Morgan Towers, the George H. Waters Nutrition Center and the Camacho Gymnasium were all named for former Mayors and/or Councilmembers; • The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center was named for a national civil rights leader; • Robles Field was dedicated in memory of Junior Robles who died tragically in a plane crash; • The Kimball Park score shack on the major's field was dedicated in 1975 in memory of Ray Hernandez, the father of Benito Hernandez; • More recently, the Portillo Recreation Center was named in honor of Manuel Portillo who dedicated many years of service to the recreation center. The request by the Boys and Girls Club currently before the City Council differs from the examples cited above for the following reasons: • Although the land and building is owned by the City of National City, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego maintains a 20-year lease through August 16, 2031. • The National City Boys & Girls Club originally constructed and maintained the building and improvements on the City parkland for many years with private funds raised from the community by the Boys' and Girls' Clubs. • The Boys & Girls Clubs of San Diego is a California non-profit corporation. The current lease with the Boys & Girls Club is silent on naming rights associated with the National City Branch. The City Attorney has reviewed the current lease and has opined that any change in name to the local branch would require either an amendment to the current lease or a separate naming rights agreement, and that any name attached to the facility be limited to the life of the lease. In addition, to the extent signage is sought to be attached to the exterior of the building, Section 18 of the lease addresses signage and states as follows: "Lessee agrees that no sign, advertisement, or notices shall be inscribed, painted or affixed on or to any part or portion of the outside of the Leased Premises except to be of such type and color, size and style, and in such place as may be approved by Lessor. Any additional signage or changes to existing signage after the Commencement Date will require Lessee to pay for and obtain all regulatory approvals (permits) for the Leased Premises " Accordingly, any change in the signage to the City -owned building requires City Council approval. The selling of naming rights to public facilities is a more recent mechanism developed as a way to raise municipal revenue. It can be seen locally in public facilities, such as sporting events or concerts that are operated for profit. For example, the City of San Diego's sports arena has been recently renamed the Valley View Casino Center. Other cities name their sports facilities after those who have paid for such naming rights. While such facilities may be operated by a third party, the public entity retains the naming rights to the facility. In this instance, as stated earlier, the City does not have an adopted Council Policy, but does have the historical practice of having named public facilities after individuals of historical significance, locally or nationally. Discussion: This matter is before the City Council to seek their direction on whether to allow a name change to the building, and if so, whether such name change can be reflected on the signage of the building. Any such change will require appropriate legal documents to be prepared and returned for approval by the Council.